The present invention relates generally to the field of software, and more particularly to document applications on computerized devices.
Reading electronic documents has become as ubiquitous as electronic devices themselves. As computer technology evolves and more printed content becomes available in electronic formats, more people are reading documents obtained from the Internet, and publishers are offering an increased number of electronic documents. In addition, as the cost of producing CD's, DVD's, and e-publishing has dropped, and the ease of use and the availability of smaller, mobile electronic devices has increased, people's reading habits have changed. Users that once only had access to the Internet through desktop and laptop computers can now access electronic documents via smartphones, tablet computers, wearable devices, and dedicated e-Book readers. Touch screens and gyroscopic sensors on tablet computers, smartphones, and other electronic device have reduced or virtually eliminated the need for a discreet mouse and keyboard. Gaze tracking and voice recognition capabilities can convert many of these electronic device to hands-free use. E-Book readers themselves have transformed from black & white or monochrome screen book replacements to full-color, multimedia electronic devices capable of supporting computer applications as well as displaying e-Books and other electronic documents.
From a publishers perspective, documents that are expensive to produce, limited to niche markets, or suffered from the content becoming quickly outdated, such as textbooks and training manuals, are prime candidates for being supplied as electronic documents. Users of electronic devices expect rapid responses to their needs as well as a high level of convenience. Different users may have differing reading styles. One user chooses to skim an electronic document quickly, jumping around looking for items of interest. Another user chooses to read systematically, devoting more time to locate information used in differing contexts. Electronic documents, electronic document readers, and electronic document presentation software provide the user a variety of capabilities and improved collaboration tools.